Mine-cage.



PATENTBD FEB. '10, 1903.-

D. F. LBPLEY.

MINE GAGE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1902.

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PATENTED FEB. 10, 1903.

D. P. LEPLEY.

MINE GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1902. I

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PATBNTED FEB. 10, 1903.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL F. LEPLEY, OF CONNELLSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

MINE-CAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 720,265, dated February10, 1903. Application filed September 15, 1902. Serial No. 123,494. (Nomodel.)

To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL F. LEPLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Connellsville, in the county of Fayette and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Mine-Cage, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in cages or hoistsemployed in mine or other shafts and employed for elevating excavatedmaterial to the surface of the ground.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofcage or hoist from which the excavated material may be automaticallydischarged at the top of the shaft; and a further object is to providean improved means for holding and guiding the platform of the cageduring its movement from the normally horizontal to tilting position andits return to initial position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved formof cage in which loaded cars may be run onto the platform andautomatically locked in position, the cars being rigidly held to theplatform until the cage is lowered to return the empty car to the bottomof the shaft.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement -of parts hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in theform, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be madewithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the inven tion.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of amine-cage constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an endelevation of the same. Fig. 3'is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1,illustrating the platform of the cage adjusted to dumping po: sition.Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the cage on the line at 4 of Fig.1.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several figures of the drawings;

5 represents the usual guide-timbers extending from the bottom of theshaft to a point above the mouth of said shaft, the timbers beingcontinued up to the usual tower, where the excavated material is dumpedon a chute or conveyer.

Thegeneral framework of the cage is formed of structural iron andcomprises guiding members 6, formed of angle-bars adapted for contactwith the opposite sides of the guide-timbers and united at their upperends by crossbars 7. At the upper end of the guide-bars each pair ofbars is united by a plate 8, and the latter are connected by smallplates 9 to angle-bars 10. The plates 9 are provided with bearings 11for the reception .of a pair of shafts 2, having at their outer endslocking-cams 13, which are adapted to clutch against the opposite sidesof the guide-timbers and lock the cage in position in the event of thebreakage of the hoisting chain or cable. The central portion of eachshaft is provided with a rigid rocker-arm 14, connected by a link 15 toone end of a transverselydisposed and slightly-curved bar 16, which iscentrally connected to a vertically-guided pin 17, having an eye 18for-connection by an auxiliary cable or chain to the mainhoisting-cable. This pin is surrounded by a helical compressionspring20, arranged within a rigid casing 21, the spring being normally heldcompressed by atension of the hoisting-cable; but in the event ofbreakage of the latter the expansive force of the spring will throw theclutchingcams 13 into locking engagement with the sides of theguide-timbers and prevent the cage from falling to the bottom of theshaft. To the lower end of each pair of angle-bars 6 is bolted across-plate 23, in which are formed bearings for the reception of ashaft or spindle 24, extending completely across the cage and servingpartly as a brace to keep the members 6 in proper relative position. Onthe shaft or spindle 24 are pivoted two collars 25,which are connectedby angle-bars 26 to two substantially rectangular plates 27, forming theopposite side members of the tilting platform, and to these side platesare bolted anglerbars 28,which extend somewhat beyond the lines of theangular side plates and are connected at their outer ends by cross-bars29, also formed of angle-iron. wood planks and is provided with a pairof rail-sections 31 on which the cars may be run at the bottom of theshaft. To the outer face The flooring 30is formed ofof each of theangular plates 27 are bolted two parallel angle-bars 33, the outeredgesof which are inside the inner line of the guidetimbers 5, theseangle-bars being disposed in substantially the same plane as the mainframe members (5. At a point intermediate of the length of the framemembers the latter are bent outwardly, as indicated more clearly in Fig.2, in order to leave a portion of the guide-timbers exposed, and atthese points the angle-irons 33 are provided with guiding shoes 34,having outwardly curved or flared upper and lower ends and adapted toengage with the opposite sides of the guidetimbers and prevent anyrocking movement of the platform on the shaft or spindle 2 while thecage is being raised or-lowered.

The mining-cars, of which one is indicated in dotted lines,'are of theusual type and provided with four flanged wheels adapted to the track31, and in order to securely lock these cars in position during themovement from the bottom of the shaft to the dumping-point and thereturn of the empty car to the lowest position I employ fourlocking-arms 36, each having a curved portion adapted to fit over thetread of the Wheel. The arms are arranged in pairs and each pair iscarried by a shaft 37, adapted to hearings in brackets or hangers 38 onthe under side of the platform. To each rock-shaft is secured an arm 39,having a counterweight 40, normally tending to maintain the arms inlooking position and securely hold the car in position on the platform.At the bottom of the shaft are a pair of vertically-disposed posts 41,which engage the couuterweights and positively raise the latter,resulting in the outward movement of the locking-arms to the dotted-lineposition illustrated in Fig. 2, the empty car being automaticallyreleased and runoff the platform while a loaded car is placed inposition and is automatically looked as soon as the cage risessufficiently to remove the counterweight 40 from contact with the posts&1. At times it may be convenient to lock the arms in inoperativepositions, and for this purpose small spring-clips 452 are employed toengage with and hold the locking-arms against the influence of thecounterweights. The springclips 42 are merely in the form of smallstrips of spring metal, secured at their upper ends to the framework ofthe platform and so arranged that they may be grasped and partlystraightened to permit the locking-arms 36 to pass under them. Whenreleased, the clips prevent the return of the arms to wheel-lockingpositions.

In order that the cage may be safely employed for raising and loweringpassengers, hand-rails 44 are provided at each side of the platform, andto the main frame is secured a protecting-hood 45 to prevent coal orother material from falling on the platform or passengers.

At a point near the top of the tower each of the guide-timbers 5 isslotted or cut away,

as indicated at 4:8, to permit lateral movement of the platform-guidingshoes 33%. The slots are of such depth as not to interfere with the freemovement of the main glidingbars 6, but will permit of the passage ofthe shoes 34: as the platform moves to the dumping position.(Illustrated in Fig. 3.)

To one or both sides of the tower-frame are secured a pair of angle-bars50, forming an inclined trackway or channel for the reception of aflanged wheel 51, carried by a shaft 52, adapted to suitable hearings onthe under side of the platform. The lower portion of the trackwayextends vertically fora short distance in order that the wheel 51 mayenter the guiding-channel in advance of the movement of the platform totilting position, and the lowerends of the angle-bars are outwardlyfiared, so that the wheel may more readily enter therein. The angle-barsextend in an inclined plane in the direction of the guidingtimbers andthence are extended vertically to a distance considerably above theposition which the mine-cage ordinarily ascends to, so that in the eventof the cage being forced above the normal position the guiding-rollerwill still be retained in the guiding-channel and all danger of breakageprevented. When the wheel or roller 51 enters the guiding-channel, theshoes 34 are slightly below the cutaway portion of the timbers, and asthe guiding-shoes come opposite the cut-away portions the platform wheelor roller comes into contact with the inclined portion of the trackwayand gradually forces the platform to tilting position, with the shaft orspindle 24 as a fulcrum, the shoes nearest the trackway passing readilythrough the on t-away portion of the timbers to the opposite sidethereof. As the cage continues its upward movement the platform is movedto a greater angle until it assumes the dumping position, (illustratedin Fig. 3,) at which time the lower edge of the platform is over theedge of the chute and the end-gate of the car is opened and the coal orother excavated material is dumped into said chute without danger of anyof the material falling to the bottom of the shaft. WVhen the cagestarts to descend, the trackway formed by the angle-bars pulls theplatform member and car back to the horizontal position, the shoes 30being again restored to proper position with respect to theguiding-timbers and any further tilting movement of the platformprevented until the cage reascends with another car. A single trackwayand guidewheel 51 may be suificient for ordinary purposes, or one may beemployed at each side of the tower, if necessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combinationwith the recessed guidetimbers, of a mine-cage having main guidingmembers adapted for contact with the opposite sides of theguide-timbers, a tilting platform pivot-ally supported by said guidingmembers, guide-shoes carried by a portion recessed portion of thetimbers on the tilting movement of the platform, inclined trackssupported at a point adjacent to the upper limit of movement of the.cage, and means carried by the platform for engaging said inclinedtracks.

2. The combination with the recessed guidetimbers, of a mine-cage formedof structural iron and comprising angle-bars disposed in pairs at eachside of the frame and adaptedfor contact with the opposite sides of theti mbers, a portion of each of theangle-bars being outwardly bent toexpose the guide-timbers, a shaft or spindle carried by the guidingmember, collars mounted thereon, angular plates rigidly secured tosaid'collars, anglebars secured to the plates and extending parallelwith the main guide members, shoes car- 'ried by said angle-bars forcontact with the exposed portions of the timbers, a platform carried bythe angular plates and provided with track-sections, angle-bars securednear the upper limit of movement of the cage and forming an inclinedtrackway, and a guidingroller mounted on the platform and adapted toengage said angle-bars to thereby effect positive movement of theplatform to tilting position as the cage ascends, and returning movementof the platform to horizontal position during the descent of the cage.

3. The combination with the recessed guidetimbers, of a mine-cage havingmain guiding members adapted for contact with the opposite sides of theguide-timbers, an intermediate portion of each of the guiding membersbeing outwardly bent to expose the timbers, a pivoted platform carriedby the guiding 7 members, shoes carried by the platform member andadapted for contact with the exposed portion of the timbers and to passthrough the recessed portions of said timbers, an inclined trackwaydisposed at or near the upper limit of movement of the cage, and aplatform member adapted to engage said trackway in advance of themovement of the platform to tilting position, said trackway serving as apositive guide for forcing the platform to tilting position during theascent of the cage and for positively returning the same to horizontalsaid cage.

4. The combination with the recessed guidetimbers, of a mining-cageformed of structural iron and comprising main guiding members arrangedin pairs adapted for cont-act with the opposite sides of the timbers,cross-bars connecting the upper ends of said members and provided withsafety clutching devices, a

position during the descent of shaft or spindle supported by the lowerportion of the guiding members, collars carried by said shaft orspindle, oppositely-disposed angular plates rigidly secured to saidcollar and extending to a point toward the level of the platform proper,angle-bars secured to the outer facesof said plates and extendingparallel with the main guiding members, shoes carried by the saidangle-bars and adapted to pass through the recessed portions of theguide-timbers, track-sections carried by the platform for the receptionof the car, counterweighted locking-arms adapted to engage and lock thewheels of the car, a hood carried by the main guiding members at a pointabove the platform, a pair of angle-bars disposed near the upper limitof movement of the cage and forming a guiding-channel, the lower ends ofeach of the angle-bars being outwardly flared, and a wheel or rollercarried by the platform and adapted to enter said guiding-channel inadvance of the movement of the platform to dumping position, saidchannel and roller forming a positive mechanism for moving the platformto dumping position and for restoring the same to initial position,substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing asmy own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

D. F. ,LEPLEY.

Witnesses:

J. M. GREY, L. F. RUTH.

